[Feature Story] Ted Turner Takes Over ... and Stops The Show!

by Matt Saye

Over four years ago, a man named Christian Calaway wanted to show respect and pay tribute to the legends of the professional wrestling business. Starting from nothing, Calaway built his company, his creation: Legends Championship Wrestling was born.

Building on the foundation of the history of the business, Calaway created something that had never been done with the success he had, and wouldn't be replicated since. However, in February of 2009, Calaway was removed from the position of LCW Chairman by the Board, after doing a disappearing act following an investigation launched by the United States Security and Exchange Commission, on grounds of insider trading. Who would they choose to take over? Ted Turner.

Turner is a man who fought Vince McMahon and nearly drove the WWE into closure. He's a man who's been a part of LCW before, taking over as Chairman and nearly running LCW into the ground. After promising he'd do better, he was given the position once again when Calaway was removed, and has been on a power hungry stampede through Legends Championship Wrestling since!

Turner is responsible for a lot of things since his return: the debut of Bill Goldberg, Ric Flair being allowed back into LCW after appearing on WWE television, vacating the LCW Universal Championship and running Christian Calaway from his own company for good. However, Turner has also done something never done before in the history of Legends Championship Wrestling: he's canceled LCW Showdown.

LCW Showdown has had hundreds of episodes in it's tenure, being the site of many, many shocking moments. And just like that, Showdown was put on an extended hiatus... by Ted Turner. While Showdown airs on Turner's network, and, in reality, he can do what he wants with the network programming, many in the company, including some on the Board of Directors, do not trust Turner's word any longer. Many of the legends feel that Turner could be responsible for the demise of LCW.

While LCW Showdown is on hiatus, it's expected to be "retooled" or "rebooted" before returning in September, It is assumed that this is being done as a cost cutting measure and to give the creative staff and Legends a break as well.

One backstage insider said, "This is something that Calaway had thought of doing in the past: retooling the product and rebooting it with a new, more classic, old school format. But he never pulled the trigger and he never would have done so by putting Showdown on hiatus."

Many Legends are also worried as word going around the locker room is that the show could be given a reduced timeslot on Turner's network with as much as half the roster being cut. With everyone's jobs on the line, some Legends are worried whether they'll still be on the roster when the show returns in September.

However many, like me, feel that if Christian Calaway were still in charge of Legends Championship Wrestling, all would be right with this legendary world!


What do you think of the situation now that Turner's been in power for a few months? What do you think about the 'extended hiatus' that LCW Showdown's been put on? Do you want to see Ted Turner resign as Chairman?